The third natural road to fight hypercholesterolemia

The best LDL-cholesterol reduction can be achieved by inhibiting cholesterol absorption (i.e., by fitosterols, green tea) and cholesterol synthesis (i.e., by statins, red yeast rice, policosanols) . The objective of our study, conducted in patients with mild-moderate cardiovascular risk, was to assess the effect of 8 weeks of non pharmacological treatment based on association of milk-based drink enriched with 2 g plant sterols (Pro-Activ, one mini-drink after dinner) plus a nutraceutical (Colestat) containing mainly red yeast rice (a fungal fermentation product of Monascus purpureus containing 3 mg of lovastatin), policosanols (10 mg) and green tea (144 mg) (one tablet at bed-time). The association therapy was initiated in 24 patients (15 males, 9 females, age range 38-64 years) with an average cardiovascular risk at 10 years of 13.6 and with moderate hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol >239 mg/dL) in spite of treatment with Pro-Activ (13 patients) and Colestat (11 patients) used in monotherapy for 8 weeks. Compared to monotherapy, TC and LDL-C levels were significantly reduced with the combination therapy to reach the TC and LDL-C goals in the majority of these patients (<240 and <160 mg/dL, respectively, reached in 21/24 patients). Moreover, the cardiovascular risk also has been reduced to reach the level of 10.7 (-21.3% versus monotherapy). No undesired effects were recorded. In conclusion, this association could represent an effective non-pharmacological therapeutic approach in patients with moderate hypercholesterolemia at mild-moderate cardiovascular risk.